Wednesday, February 26, 2014

This is the card I made for my friend Michelle's birthday. For the base card, I used the Sizzix Bigz XL Die - Card, A2 with Flap. I recently bought this die at the Archiver's going-out-of business sale (their loss really was my gain - I spent a small fortune on that sale!).

I made the daisy and leaves using the Silhouette and software (like the ones in the HoneyPOP Elephant Birthday Card post). I bought the blue rose at Michaels (dollar bin!) but added some extra color so it would match more perfectly with the cake. It doesn't show in the photos but I added a little Wink of Stella glitter to the candle flames. The banner was hand cut. I stamped the sentiment with Versafine Black Onyx ink (ditto for the main image) and popped it up with dimensional tape. I added a bow and a few enamel dots from Recollections Valentine to complete the card.

Tuesday, February 11, 2014

This is the card I made for my little sister for her birthday. The main image is from Lili of the Valley, My Birthday Cake. I watercolored it using Distress Markers (scribbled them on a palette, then applied it with brush and water). The bear in the upper corner was cut with a Sizzix Sizzlits die from the Stuffed Animal Set (654484), now retired. I shaded it with Prismacolor Pencils and used an opaque white gel pen for highlights.

Wednesday, February 5, 2014

I adore Lili of the Valley images! They are so beautiful and so much fun to color. For this card, I used their Anniversary Surprise stamp. I colored them with Distress Markers using a palette, water, and brushes to apply the color like watercolor paint. I stamped the image on watercolor paper so it wouldn't pill up when worked. The color was applied in layers, starting with the lightest version (watered down pigment) and allowing it to dry before adding more. Note: the whitest areas have no color on them; this takes a bit of planning and a careful hand. There is a close up of the image further below where you can more easily see the layering effect (you may click on it to bring up a larger version).

The hearts were cut using Lawn Fawn Hearts dies. The dies come connected together but you may cut them apart - so far I've just used them as one die. I cut two sets so I could layer them as shown. I sanded most of the paper to give the card an all over distressed look. The banner is from the Sizzix Thinlits Sweet Day set. I used circle punches to cut out the letters and shadow layers. The letters were stamped from an alphabet set I bought at a local craft store in the dollar bin. Both Michaels and A.C. Moore carry these from time to time - I have a whole collection. They are the perfect size for small banners. Stamp first then line up each letter from the underside of the punch to get almost perfectly centered letters every time.

The small bingo card is from a 6x6 Recollections Valentine pad I bought at Michaels; the background paper is from a larger Recollections pad. I don't support the company which created the ticket stamp/die set (they do not guarantee their products so I no longer buy from them) but you can get a really cute set from Stephanie Barnard.

You will note that there is stitching around the main image and the background paper. I adhere the two layers to be sewn together before sewing them on my machine. I also pull the tail threads through the back and glue them down so they don't stick out anywhere.

Tuesday, February 4, 2014

HoneyPOP stamps coordinate with Honeycomb Paper Pads, both by Inky Antics. You will see the effect in the photo of the inside of the card, further below. This card was made with the Birthday Elephant clear stamp set.

The images were colored with Prismacolor Pencils and Sansodor (literally "without odor;" it is basically odorless mineral spirits). Be sure to do this in a well ventilated room; even though you may not be able to smell them, there are fumes. After applying a light coat of color, use blending stumps to dip into the Sansodor then gently blend (start with a circular motion) until you get the look you like. The color will become much stronger when the Sansodor is applied.

I label the ends of my blending stumps (R=red, B=blue, RO=red/orange, etc.) so I know which stump goes with which color. You can sand or cut (using very sharp scissors) the ends off if they get frayed or you want less color. I usually start by testing the stump on a piece of white paper before blending just to make sure the color I used before won't interfere with the color I'm planning to blend. For example, for the elephant's cheeks, I wanted just a hint of pink so I ended up cleaning the pink stump (cutting a bit off) then testing it on scrap paper before using it on my image.

The daisies were created in Silhouette Studio. I used the Sizzix Mini Daisy dies as a sort of template. I also looked at photos of real daisies thus my petals and leaves are different shapes from the Sizzix versions. I own the Sizzix set but wanted to be able to create different sizes. I also didn't like having to glue each individual petal when making them. My file has 4 petals linked together. I use 4 of the linked petal sets for each flower (total of 16 petals). I cut them out of high quality smooth white paper (a bit heavier than copy paper but not a heavy as card stock). I shaped them on the back of a rubber mouse pad with my die pick (basically drew lines down them) and curled them back slightly using my thumb (you can do this over the end of a small paint brush). I added a little yellow paint to the petals before gluing the layers together. Once assembled I added Liquid Pearls to the centers and dusted them with yellow flocking powder.

The leaves were also shaped on the back of the mouse pad. I drew a line starting at the stem area across the middle of the leaf then curled the lobes back, in a similar manner to the petals. I added some shading with slightly darker green paint (likely Distress Reinker applied with a waterbrush).

Both the hat (front of card) and gift (inside) were mounted using dimensional tape to pop them up. Below the Honeycomb rainbow pad can be seen as the balloon. The stamp set comes with a template to stamp on the edge of the Honeycomb paper. Just cut along the marked line and glue each side along the center fold of the card; I usually glue one side, apply adhesive to the other, then close the card.

Monday, February 3, 2014

These two interactive 3D cards were made with the Pop 'n Cuts Sizzix A2 Card die, by Karen Burniston. I used the Magnetic Insert Die - Label Window, 3-D along with coordinating Butterflies & Labels die (to cut the background from white glitter paper). The main images (another is shown further below) are from Dustin Pike. I colored the images on a pearl paper using Aquarell watercolor pencils for a whimsical look, then fussy cut around them. The images look really nice in person but sadly the pearl does not show up at all in the photos (the shine made some of the colors a bit more washed out - especially on the penguin). The glitter paper (Recollections, from Michaels) also doesn't look nearly as beautiful in the photos as it does in person; it's super sparkly.

Another coordinating die, Edge & Scroll, was used to cut the left side piece (green) and a back piece. These help fill in the gap created from the pop up part of the card. I created a couple embellishments with a button and ribbon, a piece of Christmas Mint Trendy Twine, glitter paper on black card stock and a few enamel dots that I made with a Viva Decor Pearl Pen in red.

Here is a photo of the card when opened. Now you can see the back edge piece behind the "hugs & kisses." I wrapped twine around the right side of the card then added the "Merry Christmas" circle with dimensional tape. The circle sentiment was from a full sheet (8.5 x 11 in.) that I created in Photoshop (text on a circle path), printed on card stock, then used my Silhouette Cameo to cut them out. I stamped a bow in the center and watercolored it. My EK Success punch was used for the black scalloped circle.

Here is a close up of the inside.

I made the card pictured below at the same time, just using a different image and switching up the embellishments a bit.

The "Happy Holidays" sentiment circle was created in Photoshop along with the "Merry Christmas," as described above.

I am Certified Copic Instructor and formerly a Class Instructor for Michaels (PaperEd: scrapbooking, card making, Copic coloring). My first design team was for Elizabeth Craft Designs 2014, followed by ECD's Susan Tierney-Cockburn's DT, 2015 - part of 2016, then finally back to the ECD team for the rest of 2016. I was also part of the Oak Tree Stamps DT 2015, Imagine Crafts/Tsukineko Artist in Residence Program 2016, Frantic Stamper DT Jan/Feb 2017 and Rubbernecker Stamps DT, Sep 2017-Jan 2018. I was a guest designer for Paper Smooches (October 2016) and Your Next Stamp (May 2017). I am currently on the Dreamerland Crafts and Xyron Design Teams.

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